Impairment of fat absorption induced by alcohol in rats

Rats were maintained 16 weeks on a well-balanced semipurified solid diet supplemented with alcohol which comprised 35% of total calories. A control group was pair-fed the same basic diet with sucrose replacing alcohol isocalorically. Fecal fat excretion was evaluated. The mean fecal fat excretion of alcohol-fed rats was 40% higher than that of pair-fed controls. The possible pathogenic mechanism of such functional alteration is discussed.